HK490i NH CL
- Thread starter AudCrshDumy
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Really, oh well, just a link to whoever wants the info...
hatrack71
distracted by everything
What is the 690i? I have a 680i that is very impressive although it has a few start up quirks with hum every now and again. Overall a positive piece of gear and a keeper for sure. I would think $35 is a great price if the 490i operates in the same twin design. I would disagree with you about the value of the 690i if it is anything like my 680i. I've been following auctions and they are getting anywhere from $150 up to $265 that I have seen. Nothing recently however.
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SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
I stand corrected, the 680i it is. Although it sounds superb, it is not well built. HK didn't engineer longevity into the design, based on my buddy's history with his.
hatrack71
distracted by everything
I would definitely agree with you Sam about the build quality and the sound. Performance is top notch but H/K should have stuck with the same build quality as the 430, 630, ect. receivers. I also had a buddy who had a 680i and he said it was such a basket case it ended up in the dumpster after being on the bench 4 times. Sounds like this series was prone to reliability issues. Sam, do you know what these issues are attributed to? I would like to give mine preventative maintenance. There is however one thing I do know and that is I really love my 430 twin and anticipate keeping it for quite a long time because they were built to last.
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
My buddy also had his in the shop three or four times before he gave up on his example. He used his for office background music. IIRC, twice the tuner gave out and the other two issues were related to the amp. Hard to say if there is a specific weakness other than general CRAPPY build. I would say reflow every solder joint you can get at and keep your fingers crossed. Really a shame, the 680i square wave performance is better than many expensive "boutique" amps.
